19th century Heroin bottle

The term narcotic (ναρκωτικός) is believed to have been coined by Galen to refer to agents that benumb or deaden, causing loss of feeling or paralysis. Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative Galen ( Greek: Γαληνός Galēnos; Latin: Claudius Galenus, Aelius Galenus, Claudius Aelius Galenus, or The term is based on the Greek word ναρκωσις (narcosis), the term used by Hippocrates for the process of benumbing or the benumbed state. Hippocrates of Cos II or Hippokrates of Kos ( ca. 460 BC – ca Galen listed mandrake root, altercus (eclata)^[1] seeds, and poppy juice (i. A poppy is any of a number of showy Flowers typically withone per stem, belonging to the poppy family. e. opium) as the chief examples. Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( ^[2][3]

In U.S. legal context, narcotic refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semi-synthetic or fully synthetic substitutes "as well as cocaine and coca leaves," which although classified as "narcotics" in the U. The law of the United States was originally largely derived from the Common law system of English law, which was in force at the time of the Revolutionary Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant Not to be confused with Cocoa. Coca is a Plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA), are chemically not narcotics. The Controlled Substances Act ( CSA) was enacted into law by the Congress of the United States as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is not a narcotic, nor are LSD and other psychedelic drugs. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a Modern psychedelia For "psychedelics" see Psychedelic drug. Steroids, specifically are not a narcotic. ^[4]

Many law enforcement officials in the United States inaccurately use the word "narcotic" to refer to any illegal drug or any unlawfully possessed drug. An example is referring to cannabis as a narcotic. Cannabis ( Cán-na-bis) is a Genus of Flowering plants that includes three putative species Cannabis sativa subsp Because the term is often used broadly, inaccurately or pejoratively outside medical contexts, most medical professionals prefer the more precise term opioid, which refers to natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic substances that behave pharmacologically like morphine, the primary active constituent of natural opium poppy. An opioid is a chemical Substance that has a Morphine -like action in the body Medical uses Morphine can be used as an analgesic in hospital settings to relieve pain in Myocardial infarction pain in The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the type of Poppy from which Opium and many refined opiates such as Morphine, Thebaine Although the overuse of the term "narcotic" in various nonclinical contexts is technically inaccurate, it does serve adequately as a shorthand way of denoting any powerful or illegal drug.

Outside of the United States, narcotic is generally taken to define any substance which produces narcosis, a bluntening of the senses. ^[5]. From a criminal viewpoint, this includes but is not limited to illegal drugs, alcohol, and misuse of prescriptive medication such as morphine.

Administration

Narcotics can be administered in a variety of ways. In a medical context, they are taken orally, transdermally (skin patches), intravenously, or administered as suppositories. As recreational drugs, they may be used orally, but are also commonly smoked, snorted, or self-administered by the more direct routes of subcutaneous ("skin popping") and intravenous ("mainlining") injection, depending on the precise substance in question. (Recreational use of suppositories is uncommon. )

Effects

Drug effects depend heavily on the dose, route of administration, previous exposure to the drug, and the expectation of the user. Aside from their clinical use in the treatment of pain, cough, and acute diarrhea, narcotics produce a general sense of well-being, euphoria, and can reduce tension, anxiety, and aggression. Euphoria is a medically recognized emotional state related to Pleasure and Happiness. Anxiety is a physiological and psychological state characterized by Cognitive, Somatic, Emotional and Behavioral components In Psychology and other social and Behavioral sciences aggression refers to behavior that is intended to cause harm These effects are helpful in a therapeutic setting and contribute to their popularity as recreational drugs, as well as helping to produce dependency. It should be noted that these effects are not set in stone, and may not be experienced all at once, or at all by some users. Narcotic use is associated with a variety of side effects, including drowsiness, itching, sleeplessness, inability to concentrate, apathy, lessened physical activity, constriction of the pupils, dilation of the subcutaneous blood vessels causing flushing of the face and neck, constipation, nausea, vomiting and, most significantly, respiratory depression. Somnolence (or " drowsiness " is a state of near- Sleep, a strong desire for sleep or sleeping for unusually long periods (c Itch ( Latin: pruritus) is an unpleasant Sensation that evokes the desire or Reflex to scratch Insomnia is a symptom of a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity The pupil is the hole that is located in the center of the iris of the eye and that controls the amount of light that enters the Eye. The subcutaneous tissue or subcutis is the layer of Loose connective tissue directly underlying the Dermis. Constipation, costiveness, or irregularity, is a condition of the Digestive system in which a person (or animal experiences hard Feces that Nausea ( Latin: Nausea, Greek:, " Sea-sickness " also called wamble) is the sensation of unease and discomfort Vomiting (also called throwing up, emesis) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's Stomach through the Mouth and sometimes the In Medicine, hypoventilation (also known as respiratory depression) occurs when ventilation is inadequate ( hypo means "below" to perform needed As the dose is increased, the subjective, analgesic, and toxic effects become more pronounced. Except in cases of acute intoxication, there is no loss of motor coordination or slurred speech, as occurs with many depressants such as alcohol or barbiturates. Gross motor coordination addresses the Gross motor skills walking running climbing jumping crawling lifting one's head sitting up etc In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system Depressants and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects from mild Sedation

Hazards

Among the hazards of careless or excessive drug use are the increasing risk of infection, disease and overdose. Medical complications common among recreational narcotic users arise primarily from the non-sterile practices of injecting. Skin, lung and brain abscesses, endocarditis, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS are commonly found among persons with narcotic dependencies who share syringes or inhale the drug. Endocarditis is an Inflammation of the inner layer of the Heart, the Endocardium. Hepatitis (plural hepatitides) implies injury to the Liver characterized by the presence of Inflammatory cells in the tissue of Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome There has been much discussion about the dangers related to the adulterants/diluents found in street drugs, such as heroin, where rumours abound about what is used to "cut" street drugs, e. Adulterants are Chemical substances which should not be contained within other substances (eg Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative g. , ground glass, talcum powder, rat poison, domestic cleaning powders, and other cutting agents. A cutting agent is a chemical used to "cut" ( adulterate) illicit drugs with something less expensive than the drug itself Recent evidence shows that this kind of "dangerous adulteration" is largely mythical and that far less cutting of drugs than is normally assumed actually takes place. However, since there is no simple way to determine the purity of a drug that is sold on the street, the effects of using street narcotics are unpredictable. It remains the case that the greatest risk presented by most illicit drugs relates to the drugs themselves and how they are used, e. g. , in conjunction with other drugs (alcohol is a particularly risky drug to use whilst also using other street drugs), in excess (most recreational and non-excessive drug use does not result in harm), and how a drug is administered (such as the sharing of needles). HIV and hepatitis infection rates drop among opioid injectors who have access to clean syringes and take advantage of that provision. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Hepatitis (plural hepatitides) implies injury to the Liver characterized by the presence of Inflammatory cells in the tissue of

Tolerance and dependence

With repeated use of narcotics, tolerance and dependence develop. The development of tolerance is characterized by a shortened duration and a decreased intensity of analgesia, euphoria and sedation, which creates the need to administer progressively larger doses to attain the desired effect. Euphoria is a medically recognized emotional state related to Pleasure and Happiness. Sedation is a Medical procedure involving the administration of Sedative drugs generally to facilitate a medical procedure with Local anaesthesia. Tolerance does not develop uniformly for all actions of these drugs, giving rise to a number of toxic effects. Although the lethal dose is increased significantly in tolerant users, there is always a dose at which death can occur from respiratory depression. A lethal dose (LD is an indication of the Lethality of a given substance or type of Radiation. In Medicine, hypoventilation (also known as respiratory depression) occurs when ventilation is inadequate ( hypo means "below" to perform needed It is clear, however, that tolerance and dependence, both part of the conventional idea of addiction, are insufficient to explain in totality what addiction is. The term " addiction " is used in many contexts to describe an obsession compulsion or excessive Physical dependence or psychological dependence such as Addiction is a broader behavioural phenomenon that also encapsulates nonsubstance based activity (such as excessive and compulsive gambling, excessive and compulsive eating, and a range of other excessive and compulsive behaviours) that has many of the same characteristics that substance based dependency displays. The term " addiction " is used in many contexts to describe an obsession compulsion or excessive Physical dependence or psychological dependence such as Problem gambling (ludomania is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop An eating disorder is a compulsion to eat or avoid eating that negatively affects both one's physical and mental health Compulsion can refer to among other things Compulsion (album, a 1965 jazz album by American pianist Andrew Hill Compulsion Moreover, it is not always the case that those with a physical dependency to opiates find it too difficult to get over their "addiction," because so-called medical addicts (those that become physically dependent on opiates given for pain relief after treatment) only have to "give-up" the physical symptoms - they do not also have the all-important psychological and life-style attachment to the drug which goes to make up the all-encompassing "addiction. "

Physical dependence refers to an alteration of normal body functions that necessitates the continued presence of a drug in order to prevent the withdrawal or abstinence syndrome. The intensity and character of the physical symptoms experienced during withdrawal are directly related to the particular drug in use, the total daily dose, the interval between doses, the duration of use and the health and personality of the user. In general, narcotics with shorter durations of action tend to produce shorter, more intense withdrawal symptoms, while drugs that produce longer narcotic effects have prolonged symptoms that tend to be less severe.

The withdrawal symptoms experienced from opioid addiction are usually first felt shortly before the time of the next scheduled dose. Early symptoms include watery eyes, runny nose, yawning and sweating. Restlessness, irritability, loss of appetite, tremors and severe sneezing appear as the syndrome progresses. Severe depression and vomiting are not uncommon. Vomiting (also called throwing up, emesis) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's Stomach through the Mouth and sometimes the The heart rate and blood pressure are elevated. Measuring heart rate The Pulse rate (which in most people is identical to the heart rate can be measured at any point on the body where an Artery 's pulsation Blood pressure is also the title of a short story by Damon Runyan in Guys and Dolls and Other Stories Chills alternating with flushing and excessive sweating are also characteristic symptoms. Rigor is a shaking occurring during a high Fever. It occurs because cytokines and Prostaglandins are released as part of an Immune Pains in the bones and muscles of the back and extremities occur as do muscle spasms and kicking movements, which may be the source of the expression "kicking the habit. A spasm is a sudden involuntary contraction of a Muscle, a group of muscles or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden Contraction of an Orifice " At any point during this process, a suitable dose of any opioid can be administered that will dramatically reverse the withdrawal symptoms. Without intervention, the syndrome will run its course and most of the overt physical symptoms will disappear within 5 to 15 days, depending on the opioid used.

The psychological dependence that is associated with narcotic addiction is complex and protracted. Long after the physical need for the drug has passed, the addict may continue to think and talk about the use of drugs. There is a high probability that relapse will occur after narcotic withdrawal when neither the physical environment nor the behavioral motivators that contributed to the abuse have been altered.

There are two major patterns of narcotic dependence seen in the United States. One involves individuals whose drug use was initiated within the context of medical treatment who escalate their dose through "doctor shopping" or branch out to illicit drugs. Doctor shopping refers to the practice of a patient requesting care from multiple physicians often simultaneously without making efforts to coordinate care or informing the physicians A very small percentage of addicts are in this group.

The other more common pattern of non-medical use is initiated outside the therapeutic setting with experimental or recreational use of narcotics. The majority of individuals in this category may use narcotics sporadically for months or even years. These occasional users are called "chippers. " Although they are neither tolerant of nor dependent on narcotics, the social, medical and legal consequences of their behavior can be very serious. Some experimental users will escalate their narcotic use and will eventually become dependent, both physically and psychologically. The earlier drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to dependence. Heroin use among males in inner cities is generally initiated in adolescence, and dependence often develops in about 1 or 2 years. Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative

Signs and symptoms of narcotic/opioid overdose include the following: euphoria, arousable somnolence ("nodding"), nausea, pinpoint pupils (except with Pethidine/Meperidine [Demerol]), hypoxia, or in combination with other types of drugs, coma, and seizures. Euphoria is a medically recognized emotional state related to Pleasure and Happiness. Nausea ( Latin: Nausea, Greek:, " Sea-sickness " also called wamble) is the sensation of unease and discomfort Pethidine ( INN) or meperidine ( USAN) (commonly referred to as Demerol but also referred to as isonipecaine lidol pethanol piridosal Algil Alodan Chronic Hypoxia is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole ( generalized hypoxia) or region of the body ( tissue hypoxia) is deprived of adequate In Medicine, a coma (from the Greek koma, meaning deep sleep is a profound state of Unconsciousness. An epileptic seizure is caused by excessive and/or hypersynchronous electrical Neuronal activity and is usually self-limiting

See also

• Addiction
• Hard and soft drugs
• Narc (Narcotics)
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Narcoterrorism
• Opioid
• Opium

References

External links

• Pharmer.org A non-profit site providing detailed descriptions of most narcotic analgesics
• List of drugs, some of which are classified as "narcotics," in the U. S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The Controlled Substances Act ( CSA) was enacted into law by the Congress of the United States as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Not all of the classified ones are chemically narcotic, as described on the top of this page
• Drugtext.org How Often Does the Adulteration/Dilution of Heroin Actually Occur?
• Heroinhelper.com A glossary of heroin related terms
• Erowid.com A complete list of drugs
• Geopium: Geopolitics of illicit drugs in Asia
• Antonio Escohotado: Theory and Practice about Drugs